CD Designs Blog

We were very excited when we booked this job in Ashton-In-Makerfield. Joan and Fred contacted us via our website, wanting a complete re-design of the outside of their house – front garden, back garden and driveway, as well as the paths connecting them. They got quotes from several companies, some cheaper than ours, but chose us because of the quality of our previous work.

The original drive was tarmac, which we dug up and replaced with a pattern imprinted concrete driveway with an Old English pattern. For the front garden, we designed a twin circle feature with plants in each, and the London Cobble path running between. This connects to a pattern imprinted path at the side of the house, again in London Cobble which goes well with the flowers planted alongside. Finally the back garden and patio were re-concreted with an Old English pattern, working around and complimenting the existing garden. We also added some fencing in the back garden, as well as straiten the driveway gate so that it opened properly.

And there are more case studies coming. At Complete Driveway Designs we work hard to satisfy our customers, and that pays off: word of mouth means that we completed a lot of pattern imprinted concrete driveway installations every year. So we’ve got a lot of case studies to share with you. We’ll be regularly uploading new sets of photographs showing work we’ve completed.

We’re doing this so you have an idea of what to expect during the time we’re working at your property. And, of course, so you can see real life examples of finished pattern imprinted concrete driveways. We understand that you’re canny folk, and that no matter how much we tell you about the benefits of pattern imprinted concrete as a surfacing material, you’ll want to see photographs of the finished product.

So, keep checking our case studies to see examples of the quality of our work. And if you see anything that you really like, or have any questions about the design, installation or maintenance of pattern imprinted concrete driveways, please feel free to get in touch. We also offer free, no obligation quotations using a simple online form.

A recent bit of research we found claimed that grey is becoming an increasingly popular colour when it comes to home improvements. And we can see why; we suggest and install grey concrete for a number of our customers.

Don’t worry, we aren’t suggesting that we leave your pattern imprinted concrete driveway unfinished. We’re not talking about the natural grey colour you might immediately imagine when you think of concrete. We’re talking about grey colourants which we can add to concrete as part of the pattern imprinting process. These colours, sometimes combined with a release formula for extra contrast (picking out the fine details of the imprinted patterns), are attractive. Here’s an example of platinum silver, and here’s an example of classic grey. See what we mean?

Classic grey and platinum silver are amongst our most popular concrete colours. They’re subtle shades that don’t visually dominate, but are also very attractive. The perfect package, really.

If grey isn’t your cup of tea, we can colour pattern imprinted concrete a number of different shades. Combinations of colours and patterns lead to some really attractive results, and with our years of experience installing pattern imprinted concrete driveways, we’re the perfect people to advise you on what would suit your property.

We’ve written about this before, but it seems that it really isn’t going away. People in areas where parking spaces are as rare as hen’s teeth – in London especially – are renting out their driveways. Private driveway rental agreements work out cheaper for the people who need somewhere to park, and generate money for those lucky (and entrepreneurial) driveway owners.

You’d be surprised at how far this idea has spread; it’s not just in London. Indeed, if you live in area with little parking, or near an area which attracts a lot of commuting workers, it might be worth looking into. A good, durable pattern imprinted concrete driveway requires a modest outlay, and, like any quality home improvement, can add to the resale value of your home… but it might also be able to earn you a monthly income.

The added security of parking on a private driveway as opposed to a public car park is an added benefit to owners of pattern imprinted concrete driveways, and to people who rent out those driveways. Consider adding fences and gates to your pattern imprinted concrete driveway installation for a complete overhaul of the outside of your property which increases security and looks good.

Parking space is obviously much in demand at the moment. A new pattern imprinted concrete driveway is an excellent surface to park on, and that’s not to mention how attractive a finished Complete Driveway Designs driveway is – see our case studies for examples.

Driveways aren’t often the scene of crimes, but we’ve heard news of an increasing amount of opportunistic car thefts. You may well have seen it in the local of national news. It seems that people are leaving their cars running unattended in the mornings, as part of that traditional winter process of trying to get into your car, and then make it safe to drive. De-icing your car is frustrating, but imagine how much more frustrating it’d be if, as soon as you’d got all the ice off, someone came along and drove off in it. So, we’d suggest that you remain vigilant in the morning, and never leave you car unattended if the keys are in it, even if it is on your own driveway.

Cold, frosty nights make for frozen up cars. This can add precious minutes to your morning routine. And, of course, it means standing around in the freezing cold trying to de-ice your windscreen and un-stick the doors of your car. It’s no fun.

Struggling to keep your driveway ice-free during winter? Look into de-icing methods that won’t damage your car or your pattern imprinted concrete driveway; consider laying sand to make the walk to your car a little easier (it adds grip). And a kettle full of not-quite-boiling water can do wonders for frozen up cars.